'They felt uncomfortable about inviting a chick': Young Libs accused of misogyny

By Henrietta Cook

Updated30 April 2017 — 11:45amfirst published 26 April 2017 — 11:45pm

Young Liberals at one of Australia's most prestigious universities have been accused of sexism and misconduct during a student election.

One young woman, who is a member of the Melbourne University Liberal Club, was told she was excluded from an event because she would make men "a bit uncomfortable."

Melbourne University Liberal Club president Xavier Boffa (right) with shadow attorney-general John Pesutto.

Photo: Supplied

She stood up and spoke about her experience at the club's annual general meeting last month, reading out a message she had received from president Xavier Boffa, who also works for shadow attorney general John Pesutto.

Mr Boffa wrote that he had wanted to invite the woman to an event but hadn't because "a couple of the guys were a bit uncomfortable about inviting a chick."

Mr Boffa confirmed with Fairfax Media that he had sent the message but made no further comment. Club members who spoke to Fairfax Media said the event was held in November at a city bar and only attended by Liberal club members and alumni.

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University political groups provide many young people with their first taste of politics and are a breeding ground for the next generation of politicians. But there are concerns that the University of Melbourne club is deterring women from pursuing a career in politics.

"It's a boys club and they don't recruit female members or invite them to some events," one member said.

"There is a bad culture at the club with how women are treated, they are sometimes referred to as token females."

Another member said this exclusion made it difficult for women to succeed.

"The event this woman got excluded from would have been a perfect event to ingratiate themselves in the club and its alumni," they said.

It is not the first time that the university club has come under fire over misogyny – in 2014 leaked Facebook posts from members described women as "sluts", Muslims as "degenerates" and said all feminists were ugly. There are just a handful of active female members involved in the club.

It comes as the University of Melbourne union's clubs and society committee declared that the group's annual general meeting was invalid, then reversed its decision.

The clubs and society committee had initially sent an email to the Liberal club saying that concerns about the membership list were "substantial enough to affect the outcome of the Annual General Meeting".

Mr Boffa emerged as president following the meeting, but many club members said they were barred from voting.

"I renewed my membership in person and online, it was all good, and then I turned up and couldn't vote," one member said.

There are also concerns that people ineligible for voting were allowed to cast a vote.

"There were people there voting who I had never seen before and I daresay I will never see them again," one member said.